O woman, washing by the river! Hush-a-by, babe not mine, My woeful wail wilt pity never? Hush-a-by, babe not mine. A year this day, I was snatched for ever, Hush-a-by, babe not mine, To the green hill fort where thorn trees shiver, Hush-a-by, babe not mine. Shoheen, shoheen, shoheen, shoheen, Sho-hu-lo, sho-hu-lo, Shoheen, shoheen, shoheen, shoheen, 'Tis not thou my baby, O! 'Tis there the fairy court is holden, Hush-a-by, babe not mine, And there is new ale, there is olden, Hush-a-by, babe not mine, And there are combs of honey golden, Hush-a-by, babe not mine, And there lie men in bonds enfolden, Hush-a-by, babe not mine. Shoheen, etc. How many there, of fairest faces! Hush-a-by, babe not mine, Bright-eyed boys, with manly graces! Hush-a-by, babe not mine, Gold-haired girls with curling tresses! Hush-a-by, babe not mine, --There, mothers nurse with sad caresses. Hush-a-by, babe not mine. Shoheen, etc. Ah, bid my husband haste to-morrow, Hush-a-by, babe not mine, A waxen taper he shall borrow, Hush-a-by, babe not mine, A black knife bring to cross my sorrow, Hush-a-by, babe not mine, And stab their first steed coming thoro', Hush-a-by, babe not mine. Shoheen, etc. Say, pluck the herb where gate-thorns quiver, Hush-a-by, babe not mine, And wish a wish that God deliver, Hush-a-by, babe not mine, If he come not then--he need come never, Hush-a-by, babe not mine. For they'll make me Fairy Queen for ever! Hush-a-by, babe not mine! Shoheen. etc. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TO MY MYRTLE [MIRTLE] by WILLIAM BLAKE A FAREWELL TO FOLLY: CONTENT by ROBERT GREENE UNDER THE VIOLETS by OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES IN EARLIEST SPRING by WILLIAM DEAN HOWELLS SONNET: 25 by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE SONNET: 18 by RICHARD BARNFIELD THE LAST MAN by HARRY RANDOLPH BLYTHE NEVADA by HELENA GRACE BRADLEY MEDITATIONS FOR EVERY DAY IN PASSION WEEK: TUESDAY by JOHN BYROM |